


Time in a Bottle

by MrMissMrsRandom



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: And also one plot point in Thracia 776, Arvis has memory issues too, But it is just so so interesting to think about, Idealogy debates, M/M, Spoilers for Genealogy of the Holy War, This is the crackiest thing that I have ever shipped, splash of flower language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-02-17 10:56:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13075398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrMissMrsRandom/pseuds/MrMissMrsRandom
Summary: Finding something like love in another world could only be called a tragedy or a farce, that much Lukas was sure of.





	1. Half-full

It was on one morning, during a remarkably free day he had during his time in Askr, that Lukas became formally introduced to the infamous Emperor of Flame. This began after the soldier found him sitting with a stack of books at Lukas’s reading table. 

Well, it wasn’t exactly his; merely the table he had chosen to read at since he had discovered the immense book collection that was available to summoned heroes. There were only a few regular patrons, and they all stuck to their respective sections. Lukas had chosen the historical section, which was filled not only with the pasts of Askr and Embla, but many other worlds. Some were written in a codex, while others were on bundles of scrolls. Part of him originally wanted to search for one on Valentian history, but then thought better of it. He did not want to dwell on matters that, in his own timeline, had not yet occurred. 

“Are you planning on standing there all day?” A firm voice broke Lukas out of his wandering thoughts- something that he did not do often. The man was looking at him through a curtain of unruly red hair and holding a tome that Lukas had finished a few weeks prior, one that gave an account of an event called the Scouring that took place in Elibe. 

Lukas gave his best placating smile. “My apologies, I did not mean to disturb you. It was merely a surprise to find someone here. I have not seen anyone else in this area of the library before.”

“That reflects poorly on our “comrades,” then.” The man replied, his eyes turning back down to the tome, then turning the page. “They should not forget their history, otherwise they will make the same mistakes as their forebearers.”

“Is that why you’re reading the mistakes of other worlds?” Lukas asked, not realizing until afterwards that might have been too presumptuous.

However, the Emperor paused from his reading to look up once more, turning back to inspect Lukas with a smirk on his face. “I want to be aware of every possible failure. That is, in my opinion, the best way to understand how to avoid them. However, I’m assuming you read these texts for a different reason.” 

“Maybe so.” Lukas replied calmly. “In my world, I’m a rebel soldier from the lower echelons of nobility. I do not have the same goals as you, your Excellency.” 

“‘Excellency?’ That’s the first time someone had ever called me that. Here, at least.” He waved his hand at the title, but Lukas when Lukas had a better look at his face, he could tell that he was pleased. “What is your name, soldier?”

“Lukas.” He replied. 

“Well then, Lukas.” He gestured towards the three other free chairs at the table. “Sit down, if you so please. In this world, I have no authority over you. We came here the same way, so I see no need for titles. My name is Arvis.” The Emperor- Arvis, said. 

“I shall then, Arvis.” Lukas replied, taking a scroll he had not yet read from the man’s pile and settling down at the opposite end of the table. 

“I want to read that, you know.” Arvis said, but did not pull his head away from his current text.

“I will finish it by the time you do.” Lukas assured, undoing the red tie that held the parchment close, then allowing it to fall across the his side of the table. 

(~)

An unusual book club began between them afterwards. Once they both had finished a text, they would discuss it: the points that went wrong, the opportunities that the opposing sides could have taken to be given a more optimal outcome. It was, for Lukas, like participating in a chess game played in reverse: they both new the outcome, but would look over the plays the pieces made and try to discern if there was another move that could have taken place. It was also interesting with how assured Arvis sounded whenever he told Lukas his position, but then would listen to the soldier’s own opinions with attentiveness. 

Lukas, even after he had been summoned to this world of myth and legend, had never imagined he would be having debates over old wars with a man from such myths. He had not read much of Jugdral’s history back in Zofia- most of the tales were told by word of mouth, with names shifted and changed depending on who told it. All he had known about the Emperor of Flame was that he was ruthless and cruel. 

However, Lukas decided not to bring that up in their debates. In all the stories he had heard about this myth, Arvis had been of an age similar to Emperor Rudolf of Rigel. Arvis in Askr was Lukas’s age, in his mid-twenties at most. Perhaps the events that would lead to his fall had not yet occurred. 

“What is your stance on the conflict between Nohr and Hoshido?” Arvis began their discussion that day. During times like this, they would leave the library and walk around the gardens. The vast variety of flowers and trees that lined the paths reminded Lukas of how his family estate looked as a child, before the earth stopped providing. 

“I believe most of the faults were with their choices.” Lukas replied calmly. “Nohr’s ruler was focused on greed and acquiring land instead of opening trade. However, Hoshido’s ruler kept their country in isolation and hoarded their bounty, making them a target for future conflicts with no strong allies.” 

“What truly was their downfall for me was that the Nohrian king allowed himself to become a puppet of someone else.” Arvis replied, a venom in his voice that Lukas was not familiar with. “He lost sight of his goals, and that made him weak.” 

“...Ah, you’re referring to the “invisible kingdom” myth in the later chapters.” Lukas said, trying to think on how such information would change his argument. Surprisingly, not much. “I thought you preferred to stick to “hard” history in these debates.” 

“It’s not unheard of in my country to have something possess you.” Arvis answered flatly. “My ancestor had to fight such a monstrosity.” 

Lukas recalled what he knew of Rigel’s Witches, thinking whether or not it was a similar process of possession. However, he chose not to voice his macabre thoughts. “They must have been very capable, then.” 

“You use such… odd wording, Lukas,” Arvis sighed. Lukas turned his face to get a better look at the other man. “Like you prefer not to take one side or the other. You always speak like a mere observer, instead of choosing a side.”

“We are discussing “observations,” of what we have read right now, though.” Lukas countered. 

“Don’t dodge the subject.” Arvis said, his tone less of debate and more of demand. Something in Lukas itched to refuse, just to see how he would react. What would happen if the simmering emotion underneath Arvis’s controlled figure would be unleashed. And then, how Lukas would react. If he could react. 

Instead, Lukas replied as best he could. “It’s my job to remain “detached” in some sense.” He turned his head away, gazing at a cluster of white rose bushes along one side of the path. They were all in bloom. “As an advisor for the Deliverance, I’m expected to give a full account of events, including minimal biases, and then giving what I think is the most optimal way to proceed from the information we have. I suppose such a mindset bleeds into other aspects of my life.” 

That was not a lie, per say, but it was more truthful to say that this detachment was in reverse: Lukas was so capable of seeing all sides because he did not have a desire to support any side. 

“You don’t have to act so restrained with our discussions.” Arvis replied, then, suddenly, laid a hand on his shoulder. Even through layers of fabric, Lukas felt a radiating heat that felt like it would burn his bare skin. “I value your input.”

Lukas did not shrug off the hand, letting it fall naturally between them. He bowed his head with a calm smile. “I’ll try to share more in the future. These are still historical events that have, in one sense or another, already occurred.”

“That does not mean there is not debates rife within them.” Arvis replied, his voice returning to a more neutral tone. “Let’s discuss the other main players in the conflict…”

(~)

“Excuse me, Lukas?” 

The soldier turned away from his training to find Julia standing off to the side, a small smile on her lips and her fingers splayed out against the front of her dress, as if trying not the clench them into the fabric. His first thought was in wonder as to why Naga’s heir would be nervous around him when with a single incantation she could lay him flat. 

Still, he set his lance against the wall, and bowed his head. “Good afternoon, Lady Julia. Is there something you require?” 

“Not really. I suppose, well…” Julia’s smile turned more natural as she continued to speak, gaining courage. “I wanted to thank you for befriending Father.” 

Lukas blinked, processing the words for a moment. “That doesn’t seem to be something that requires gratitude, my lady. We simply enjoy each other’s conversation.” 

“I-I know. But, I’m still happy about it. Everyone else avoids him, and I was worried that would make him sad.” Julia tucked a strand of her silvery hair back. Though the two at first glance looked nothing alike, Lukas could see they shared the same nose, and they both had long, spindle-like fingers. Everything else he could see, however, was only of Julia, and no one else. Arvis did not talk about his wife, and she had not yet arrived to Askr, either. Though he had begun to talk to Lukas about his daughter, and how proud he was of her. 

“You care for your father a lot. It’s kind of you to worry about him.” Lukas said.

Julia beamed at his words, before shaking her head. “No, he’s the one that has always been kind to me, ever since I was little. But in our world, I didn’t get to have much time with Father, to show him how much he meant to me.” 

Lukas nodded. “Well, now you can both make up for lost time. It seems we will all be here for a while yet, if the conflict with Embla continues at this rate.” 

“I suppose.” Julia giggled, but then caught herself. “That shouldn’t be something I’m happy about, though. And I still want him to make more friends. I want people to see Father beyond his history.” 

“I don’t know how to help him in gaining more friends, but I look forward to getting to know your father more, Lady Julia.” Lukas smiled. Julia was around the age of the teens from Ram Village, though it was easier to talk with someone more... even-tempered. 

“I’m glad. I’m sorry for interrupting your practice, so,” Julia curtsied with all the grace of a noble lady, before walking away from the training grounds. “Good day.” 

Lukas went back to pick up his lance, but then paused, thinking more about the conversation that had. Arvis was affable enough, intelligent and open to conversation, though very set in his own ways and ideals. He was also handsome and charismatic, qualities that were necessary in a leader. Yet, his history… Lukas did not know when Arvis the man had turned into a monster. 

Lukas wondered why he had not sought out those stories of the Emperor of Flame more in his youth, but then recalled that what books he could sneak away from his father’s eyes or brother’s hands were ones that told of a happier ending than the ones he already knew. 

(~)

The next time the Summoner reordered teams, they placed Lukas and Arvis together. Judging by the flash of a thumbs up between the hooded figure and Julia a few feet away with her group, this was a planned request. 

“I suppose now I will see what you’re capable of on the battlefield.”Arvis murmured at Lukas as they joined the other two in their group. 

“The same goes for me. I wonder if it will meet my expectations.” Lukas said, smiling when Arvis chuckled. 

The others two on their team was a dancer named Olivia, who looked like she would pass out of fright when they looked in her direction, and an axe wielding mercenary named Raven, who was avoiding them and instead looking back into the crowd. There were no healers in their group, which meant that they were not meant to be in longer battles. Their job was to act quickly against Embla’s forces. 

Arvis waved at Julia, his face eyebrows less furrowed and mouth more lax when he looked at his daughter, who waved happily back, before talking with a swords woman named Lucina in her group. It seemed they were getting along well. 

“I’m surprised you aren’t in your daughter’s group.” Lukas remarked after they exchanged formal introductions with Olivia and Raven and were returning to their regular duties. 

“We had been, for a time,” Arvis replied. “But we both fight best at a distance, and maneuvers were becoming more difficult to pull off without someone getting injured or sent back to the summoning compound.” 

“Not the best conditions.” Lukas said. In this kingdom, none of them had to worry about permanent death on the battlefield, but they still felt tremendous pain when they were knocked out. 

“... It was difficult for me to accept the change, at first.” Arvis said. “I have this feeling that I’ve always failed to protect Julia, and I wanted to make that up to her in anyway I could.”

Lukas thought about his wording. “Arvis, tell me, how do you know Julia…?”

“Is my daughter?” Arvis finished, but did not seem affronted by the question. “Despite how irksome it is to admit, I’m not sure. When I came to this world, it was just after I became Emperor, but I know for sure that my future wife, Deirdre, and I have children, and that Julia is our daughter. Everything else is a blur, but part of it came to focus as soon as I saw her, and that gave me great relief.” 

Lukas took in the new information. How odd that heroes would come frozen at certain moments, yet know some of their future fates. Was there a reason behind such a choice? Lukas thought about researching this in the future, but set it aside for the moment.

“Does Julia look like Deirdre?” He asked, before wondering why he wanted to know.

“Very much so, though not entirely alike.” Arvis replied, looking between the columns they passed into the clear-skied day outside. “They are both the shining spots in my life, and two of the reasons why I strive to make a better world.” 

Lukas felt glad for Arvis, that he had people who he loved and loved him in return, but for some reason, that also caused a hollow feeling in his stomach. Perhaps what he felt was some type of envy, or jealousy? That was surprising. 

“I look forward to meeting her, then, if she’s as kind as her daughter.” Lukas said calmly. He did not look, but felt Arvis’s gaze on him, inspecting his face for something that he took one long moment to discern.

“Yes, she is.” Arvis replied. “She would be understanding of my plight in memory, at least.”

Lukas wanted to press further, but then decided not to. If he asked too many questions on Arvis’s private life, he would do the same for him, and that was not a rotten apple he was willing to take a bite from. 

(~)  
Lukas got to see Arvis’s power unleashed on the battlefield one day, when Lukas himself had been caught unawares. 

The wall that was closest to him crumbled, revealing a member of Embla’s calvary that charged forward, brandishing a silver axe. Before Lukas could evade, the weapon cleaved into his side. He was still unused to trained soldiers carrying axes, and ones of fine make, and that made him careless. 

Through a haze of pain as he slumped to the ground, Lukas saw the horse’s hooves approach. This final hit would kill him for sure. He had already experienced the feeling of going back to the compound to await the Summoner’s next shot, and did not look forward to another round. 

What happened next was not the intended blow- instead, a flash of red whizzed from off to the side, engulfing the Embla soldier and his horse in a red vortex that exploded into wreaths of fire. He heard the horse’s scream and the scent of burnt flesh flared up into his nostrils. In a minute, the two were completely consumed. Lukas felt a hand lift up his face, giving him a clear view of Arvis. The man seemed bathed in the fire’s light, shining around him, but Arvis looked distraught, his mouth formed words Lukas could no longer hear, until his vision went dark.

(~)

The next time he came to, Lukas was lying in a bed in the infirmary. Judging by the ache in his side and being dressed in a loose fitting tunic instead of his regular outfit, Lukas had not died and returned the usual way. What surprised him more was the sight of Arvis sitting at a chair beside him, reading through a tome he could not see the cover of. 

He did his best to sit up, but then hissed in pain at the attempt. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Arvis said, still reading. “You’ll undo your stitches.” 

“How did you bring me back?” Lukas was, uncharacteristically, surprised. 

“Despite not being summoned with staves, I have some proficiency in healing.” Arvis replied. “I read that Valentian healers can concentrate their Quintessence into healing spells, at the cost of some energy. I attempted a similar procedure, and it was enough to keep you from bleeding out until backup arrived.”  
“... I see.” He answered, though in his condition, most of Arvis’s explanation went over his head. “Thank you, Arvis.”

“It is not a thing to thank me for.” Arvis went back to his book, but Lukas could see Arvis look at him from the corner of his eye, and something fluttered in his stomach. “... I would find it irritating to wait for your return, so I merely took pains to avoid it.” 

“So my death would be an inconvenience.” Lukas replied simply. 

That made the other man still his hand when he moved to turn a page. “No, that’s not…” Arvis sighed, closing the tome. “I apologize. I was uncouth in my response.”

Lukas didn’t respond, only looking back, waiting for the other man to say more. Arvis set the book to the side. 

“...You are the only one here who seeks out my presence, besides Julia.” Arvis replied. “I don’t want to cling to my daughter. She had her own life, and I don’t want to interfere in it. However, if- if there is something wrong, if I offend at any point, let me know so that I can make amends.” 

“You have done nothing to offend me, Arvis.” Lukas answered, but he felt his eyes grow heavy once more. “I only wish to get to know you more…”

Lukas could hear “I feel the same,” and felt warm fingers brushing his own as he slipped back into unconsciousness. Unlike what he had previously thought, the touch did not burn. 

(~)

They began to talk more about their own histories than the ones of heroes after that. Arvis confided in Lukas about the horrors his father committed against his mother and countless other women. Lukas told him about his older half-brother, how he was treated by him when they were younger, and how the man had sent him off to gain their house glory or a scapegoat. Whichever came first. Lukas had never told the details of his family dynamic to anyone before. And based on how much Arvis stalled his words, it showed how much he had to keep that inner fire inside of him from bursting with nearly every new recollection, Lukas believed it was the same for him. 

All their conversations weren’t so dour, however. Arvis had begun to talk about his son, Saias. Born out of a teenage indescretion he and Saias’s mother, a general named Aida, had agreed to keep Saias’s parentage a secret, but that had not stopped Arvis from doting on the boy as much as he could. That had been clear when they took another stroll in the gardens. 

“He’s still so young, but Saias has already read through half of Velthomer’s library. He is so curious about everything.” Arvis’s gestures become more animated as he talked, hands making motions that Lukas felt he could watch for hours. 

“I’m sure his genius will continue to grow. You said he had a passion for tactics?” Lukas asked, interested to learn more about Saias. 

Arvis nodded, his mouth set in a proud smile. “He can already beat me most times at chess. Honestly, I never cared much for tactics when learning from my tutors, I was wrapped up in the reasons, the moralities of the side… I suppose I still am,” He then turned his gaze back to him. “He could learn more from you.”

“Me? What do you mean?” Lukas asked, genuinely perplexed. 

“You have the mind of a fine tactician. Any child would be lucky to have you teach them.” Arvis replied. Lukas blinked, having difficulty processing the amount of praise he had just been given. He had to turn his head away, looking instead at the roses they passed by, dipped in a light pink. 

Lukas raised a hand to his chest, something in there tightening that he could only remember feeling in the exertion of battle or after a long bout of training. Even the face of the woman that remained back home could not give this feeling.

“Lukas? Have I said something that offends you?” Arvis asked, a small tinge of fear in his voice that made the erratic heartbeat continue.

He turned back, shaking his head. “Not in the least. In honesty, I feel flattered that you would say that... I truly do.” 

“...I am merely stating the truth. You would make an excellent teacher, and the Deliverance is immeasurably lucky to have you among their ranks. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool.” Arvis replied. Lukas felt a genuine smile spread across his face.

“Thank you. Coming from you, that means a great deal.” Lukas replied. 

It was moments like that, small exchanges that were truly happenstance, that made Lukas seek out Arvis’s company more and more. He began to spend near all of his free time with the Emperor of- no, with Duke Arvis of Velthomer. However, it took an unexpected person to bring this to his attention. 

“Good day, Lukas.” Clive said when they crossed paths in the barracks. Though they had kept in regular contact since their respective “summonings,” without the imminent pressure of keeping the deliverance alive, they had formed separate habits and social circles. 

“The same to you, Clive. How are things going?” Lukas asked.

“Quite well. I’ve been getting along with most of the other members of the calvary, though I missed Mathilda terribly.” Clive replied with a sigh. “...Though, it seems you have had an unlikely companion as of late.” 

“What do you mean?”

“...Really, Lukas? You haven’t noticed?” Clive asked, but then frowned when Lukas showed no signs of understanding. “You and the Emperor are attached at the hip these days. People have been mentioning it to me constantly.” 

Ah. Logically, he could understand Clive’s potential alarm at these events, but with how he phrased them, Lukas could only find it… irritating. 

“All of us are under contract here, and we all must find ways of getting along. Arvis and I enjoy each other’s company and discussion. What of it?” 

Clive’s eyebrows raised at his response. “You refer to him by his first name? That’s… unlike you.”

“What about it is so “unlike me,” Clive?” Lukas asked, his tone sharp. “That I find “joy” in someone’s presence?” 

“No, no that’s not what I meant,” Clive paused, biting his lip as if deliberating carefully on his next choice of words. “I mean that you should be careful-”

“Is there a problem here?” A familiar voice spoke close from behind, and Lukas felt a warm hand clasp his shoulder. The color in Clive’s face drained. 

Lukas turned to see Arvis face scowling and dark, there was no kindness in his eyes as he looked at Clive. 

“...None at all. I simply wanted to talk to my friend.” Clive replied, then bowed his head. “And now that I have, I’ll be on my way.”

“I have already considered what you have said, Clive,” Lukas replied. “And I’ve made my choice.”

Clive did not respond, but his eyes widened, and then he walked quickly down a hallway and out of sight. Arvis released his shoulder soon after, but part of Lukas wished he kept his hand there. 

“I apologize for my rudeness.” Arvis said primly. Lukas knew he did not mean it in the slightest. 

“Clive is merely trying to do what he thinks his best, though he has a tendency to falter.” Lukas replied. “It was only a small argument. Nothing to worry about.”

“Hmph. As you say.” Arvis’s shoulders slacked down, his expression growing thoughtful. “Something about that man needles me… though I can’t fathom why.”

“Jealousy, perhaps?” Lukas joked, but then their conversation went quiet. He looked up to find that Arvis was avoiding his gaze, and he felt something invisible tighten against his heart. 

“Sir Clive is happily engaged to a women named Lady Mathilda, so you have no worries of that.” Lukas replied, now only half-joking.

“Oh shut up, Lukas.” Arvis replied without a drop of venom. “Do you want to take a walk together or not?” 

Lukas put his hands behind his back, now walking beside the other man with a smile. “Of course.” 

(~)

The unsaid words, the brushes of hands, the too-long held looks- everything about it dripped with the cliches of romances that Lukas had before felt disconnected from. Then again, whatever was blooming between the two could never be penned as a romance. Rather, it was some type of farce. Lukas had developed feelings for a man unavailable in every sense of the word. It would be better if he found a way to lock up the feelings inside of himself, to smother them until they could no longer resurface in the depths of his mind. Arvis, however, would not allow him even this grace.

They had decided to prolong their after-dinner discussion late enough that no lights in the library wing remained, which made Arvis suggest they could go to his room, as he did not have roommates that would intrude their conversation. As they sat together on Arvis’s bed, only having the candlelight half-illuminate their faces, the conversation lulled. Unlike the previous times, when Lukas could look away, or find something else to discuss, all he could see was Arvis, and feel the dip in the mattress as the other man leaned his hand between them so he could move closer. Lukas watched, his eyes kept open a moment after the kiss began, everything in him telling him to pull away when he wanted to draw closer to the wonderful, wonderful heat of Arvis’s mouth.

Just as soon as the kiss began, however, it ended. 

“I-I… oh, damn, damn, damn it all!” Arvis cursed, pulling away. He stood up and moved away from the bed. 

“Arvis, what-?” 

“I’m just like like my father. Just like him, trying to force myself on others, on anyone who shows me the slightest bit of affection.” Arvis said, his voice taking on a manic frequency that Lukas had never heard. He kept talking, cursing himself as Lukas watched and deliberated what to do next. 

What he should have done was leave. The rational part of Lukas told him that he should have left so Arvis could sort out his own feelings, but when he stood up, he walked instead towards Arvis, taking hold of his hand and pressing his fingers to his mouth to kiss. 

Arvis’s body went still in the flickering light. 

“I wanted you to do that.” Lukas said, adding as much firmness as he could. “I want to be with you, too. I have someone back home, too, even if it is not someone I love. If you feel it necessary to fling insults on yourself, then you should add some for me as well. It still won’t change how I feel.” 

He lowered Arvis’s hand away from his mouth, but kept holding on. He heard Arvis exhale, before drawing his free hand and placing it against Lukas's face. He leaned into the touch. 

“You don’t want to leave?” Arvis said, his voice growing soft. 

“No.” 

Arvis’s breath brushed against Lukas’s mouth, pausing. This time, Lukas met him halfway.


	2. Half-Empty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some references to sexual content, as well as big spoilers for Genealogy of the Holy War and Shadows of Valentia, including the Rise of the Deliverance DLC.

Their relationship, to be frank, did not change much after that night. They continued to share books, have debates, fight alongside the other in battle- nothing about that truly changed. However, there were smaller things that passed between them, even in view of other members of the Order that made Lukas’s heart jump. 

“Excellent work.” Arvis murmured this or something similar into his ear after particularly trying battles, his hand pressed against the side of his neck.

 

Moments such as now. Lukas felt, judging by the uptake in his heart rate, thrilled by the praise and the touch, with the aftershocks of fighting making such feelings linger long after. 

“Hmm.” Lukas hummed, before planting his lance into the earth so he had a free hand to brush a stray lock of hair from Arvis’s face. “I’m surprised you had time to focus on it.” Lukas did not usually watch Arvis fight, but he would always feel his presence, a certain type of power and radiance that made it nearly impossible not to know where he was. Lukas wondered if other people felt it, or if it was his own delusion. 

Arvis scowled at the response, and removed his hand to briefly rub against the cheek Lukas’s hand had strayed against when moving his hair back. “You still don’t take compliments well.” 

“Old habits die hard, I’m afraid.” Lukas replied, lifting his lance back. Unlike Arvis’s Valflame, the weapon had seemed to manifest when he was summoned to Askr. He did not have any complaints about it, but it was a tad more difficult to carry around. “Shall we return?”

“Yes. The Summoner should be waiting.” 

“It’s alright to call them Kiran, Arvis.” 

Arvis looked unconvinced. That was another thing Lukas learned about his new… lover, he supposed. Though he worked in his own land to bring a time of equality and to foster justice within Grannvale, Arvis himself readily stuck to formalities. Besides Lukas and Julia, he still kept himself at a distance from others. Lukas hoped that could eventually change.

“Everyone is so ready to defer to them. It… is a bit unnerving.” Arvis replied as they crossed the battlefield, prepared to make the march back to the barracks. “These men and women were titans in histories stored within the library, yet from how the Summoner… acts, they appear to have little actual experience leading people.” 

“It would not do to underestimate the young or inexperienced.” Lukas noted. “From my experience, they can be most surprising.” 

“Ah yes, your proteges in the Deliverance.” Arvis snorted. Lukas knew, however, that it was not meant as unkind. “Once more, they have someone with experience guiding them.” 

 

“Maybe you can be that for Kiran.” Lukas suggested. Arvis’s mouth opened to respond, but no words came out, and a troubled expression crossed his face. “Arvis?” 

“It’s… it is fine, Lukas.” Arvis rubbed the side of his temple. “I felt an ache in my head, but it’s passed now.”

“Would you prefer if I helped you on our march back?” Lukas raised his arms, and then felt warmed as Arvis’s face reddened. 

“That’s not necessary.” 

“As you wish.” 

While they continued their normal banter, the event still nagged at Lukas, and attached itself to his memory. He would have to look out for it, in case it was something that needed to be looked at by a healer. 

(~)

Another thing that developed was that Arvis asked him out on outings, outside of the castle grounds. If a furlough day perchance fell during the right time of the month, they would go to the market and look over the wares. This time, however, was a tad unusual. 

“Why am I bringing my lance again?” Lukas questioned, a tad disappointed that their first stop was not to the jam-filled cake stall. He felt out of place with the weapon in civilian clothes that were given to the Order of Heroes when they went among the general Askr populace. With the weapon, everyone could tell Lukas was a soldier of some sort. 

“It’s a surprise.” That was Arvis’s non-negotiable answer. He was also dressed in civilian clothes, living his cape and finery behind for the day. He also had his hair back in a braid, but the vibrancy of its color still drew quite a few looks. Though Commander Anna had red hair, Lukas did not think it was a common occurrence among the general population. Though his hair was a similar shade, there were times when the light hit Arvis just right…

Arvis took Lukas’s free hand to pull him forward. “You’re lagging behind. I don’t want you to get lost. 

“How thoughtful of you.” Lukas replied, moving his thumb up to brush against the inside of Arvis’s wrist, and relished the feeling of his pulse rise at the small action. Eventually, taking a few side streets, they made it to a small smithy, where a stout middle aged woman worked. Lukas felt his body begin to sweat, but Arvis looked unconcerned.

“Ms. Eitri.” Arvis bowed his head. “I assume you received my request?” 

“Sure enough, Lord Arvis.” The woman, Eitri, responded, before turning to Lukas, or, more specifically, his lance. “That’s the one?”

“That is so,” Arvis then stepped forward, taking out a rather stuffed pouch, and placing it on the front desk. “This is the agreed upon price for your efforts, along with payment for the necessary materials.”

Realization finally hit Lukas. “Wait, Arvis-”

“As requested, I would like an upgrade to the basic lance, as well as enchantment to make the wielder more durable against magic attacks.” Arvis continued, before he turned back to Lukas, and gestured for him to give Eitri the weapon. Lukas stalled for another moment, before handing it over. 

Eitri nodded with a smile. “She’s a beaut, I must say. Don’t worry, I’ll send word to the castle when it’s ready. Shouldn’t be more than a few days.” 

“Thank you, we’ll be on our way then.” Arvis walked out the door, his hand moved up to rest against the small of Lukas’s back to guide him out. Lukas tried reaching for words to say, but found it impossible to grasp. 

“That… why?” Lukas asked, a small shiver going along his spine as Arvis’s hand stroked up his back, feeling the heat through the thin material. 

“A man of your skill needs a weapon that best fits that.” Arvis replied, a small, indulgent smile playing across his lips. “We are given some payment for our troubles to use how we like, and I heard that Eitri was highly recommended for her skills.”

“There’s… there’s smiths at the castle.” 

“You would have had to wait weeks for it. I wanted you to have it sooner than that.” 

Lukas took a deep breath. “And the… magic resistance?”

“A personal touch,” Arvis replied, his hand moving in small circles against Lukas’s back. “Is it better than a pastry from the stalls?”

“The pastries were wonderful as is. I… I just don’t know how to respond.” Lukas replied. And he did not. No one had ever went out of their way to do something this personal for him before. If he received gifts, there were more for the gifter’s pleasure. This was more personal. “Thank you.”  
“You’re most welcome.” Arvis replied, and when Lukas looked at him, he felt this strange urge to kiss him, even if it was such a crowded spot. He never understood such public displays of affection, the overt embraces other people desired, until now. “Shall we continue our walk?”

“Yes.” Lukas replied, and got another small shiver at the fact that Arvis moved his hand back against Lukas’s arm, trailing it along his side and down until it reached his hand, never lifting it away from him. It was something that felt so personal, yet the man did it so effortlessly. 

They spent a good few hours exploring the market and surrounding businesses, with Lukas spending most of it attempting to find something that he could give Arvis in return. Unfortunately, he was having troubles, as nothing along the stalls appeared to catch his interest. Most of the time, Lukas felt the man’s gaze on him, and while that continued to do wonders for his heart, it did not make the task of finding something Arvis could use any easier. When they had decided to each gather dishes for on the way back, which Arvis refused to let Lukas to pay for in full, Lukas had a small chance to shop without any suspicion. 

He would have to find a proper thank you gift, but what would Arvis actually enjoy, or use for that matter? Books? They had gone through a mere fraction of the vast Askr library. Food? Arvis did not care for rich or sweet dishes. And a weapon was out of the question with Valflame… what could he do? 

“...Sir Lukas?” 

Lukas was brought out of his wandering thoughts by someone who could be his potential savior. Julia, in less formal mage’s robes, standing besides a taller figure, a young man dressed in a casual blue tunic that matched his long hair. Perhaps Lukas imagined it, but he thought he saw a slight resemblance around both of their eyes. 

“Ah, Lady Julia. Enjoying your time at the market?” Lukas bowed his head to her and the young man in respect. 

Julia answered with a beaming smile. “Yes! It’s my first time being to one so big. I was a bit frightened, but then Seliph agreed to come with me to check out the shops.” 

“I was happy to do it, Julia.” The young man, Seliph, had a genuine smile that would take most heads of state years to perfect, before turning back to Lukas. “Allow me to officially introduce myself. My name is Seliph, I’m Julia’s older brother.” 

“...Ah. I… see?” 

“Half brother,” Julia added, saving Lukas the awkward point of trying to search for Arvis in Seliph’s face and an even more awkward picnic. “Our fathers are different.” 

Well, that was cleared up, though Lukas wondered why Arvis had not told him Deirdre had also been in a previous relationship. Lukas himself was the product of a second marriage. Oh well, another question for another time. “Actually, that brings me to ask about your father, Julia. Do you know of anything that could be a suitable gift?” 

Julia frowned in thought. “I’m afraid I’m not the best person to go to about this, but… I remember… him mentioning a circlet.” She touched her brow, the gold of Julia’s own circlet gleaming through her light hair. “Perhaps something like that?”

“You might be onto something.” Lukas said. Though Arvis’s robes were outwardly subdued, the accents were quite flamboyant. And something that held his hair back in battle would give it a practical use. “Thank you for the suggestion.” 

“Happy to help!” Julia said, before her eyes were drawn behind Julia. “Oh, Father!” 

Lukas turned, a smile ready when he stalled mid-step. Arvis’s face had taken on an unhealthy pallor, as he stared past Lukas, and connected with Seliph. 

His mouth opened. “Deir-”

“Lord Arvis.” Seliph interrupted, his own face growing withdrawn, as he bowed his head, before turning to Julia. “I’ll meet you by the fruit vendor, Julia. Good day, Sir Lukas.”

“...Good day.” Lukas said, but his response was left unheard, as Seliph took off the other way. Julia’s eyes had a glassy shine. Arvis continued to stare after the boy. “...Arvis, were you able to find what we needed?”

“...Oh, yes.” Arvis answered, his arm wrapped around a few parcels, but his focused had then shifted to Julia. “...So, that’s him.”

“Kiran summoned him a few days ago.” Julia said. “...F-father, I’m sorry I-”

“Don’t be.” Arvis replied, and placed his free hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Go have fun.” 

“...” Julia nodded, before making a quick curtsy to Lukas, and taking off in the same direction as Seliph.

Arvis let out a long sigh. Lukas reached out to touch his arm, but then stalled. There was several things he knew had been left unsaid in that conversation, but it was not his place to interfere. At least, that is what he told himself. Arvis soon broke out of his reverie, and asked Lukas if he wanted to stop by his favorite pastry stand on their way out. Lukas agreed. 

(~)

As Lukas lay in the grass, stomach full with their repast and the liquor flavored sweet cakes, and stared up at the cloudless sky that made its way through the small tree canopy. The peace in that moment would have been almost overwhelming, if not for the nagging thoughts about that encounter at the market. 

“...Arvis?”

 

The man beside him on the grass rolled to his side to face him. Parts of his braid were coming undone, and Lukas felt another stab of fondness that almost stopped him from voicing his question. Almost.

“Does Seliph look like Deirdre?” 

His lips thinned, before letting out another sigh. “... When I saw his face, it… hit me. The usurper hadn’t lied.” 

Lukas knew by this point that “usurper” meant Sigurd of Chalphy. “About what?”

“...That Deirdre had been his wife. Before she lost her memory.” Arvis answered. “Even though Julia talked to me about him, it all fell into place.” 

“...I see.” Lukas said, and turned back to look up at the sky, but Arvis’s head blocked the way.

“It was uncomfortable for you. Wasn’t it?”  
“It’s not my place to say.”

“Don’t start with that again, Lukas.” Arvis leaned down, but did not try to kiss Lukas. “If it is troubling for you, tell me. My… past keeps rearing its head, I suppose. It isn’t fair for you.”

“It’s not a matter of being fair and not fair.” Lukas reached up to brush his fingers along the furrow in Arvis’s brow. For a moment, a woman’s face flashed across Lukas’s eyes, before it was mentally tossed aside. “In this situation, are we not both unfaithful?”

Arvis leaned into the touch with another sigh, but this one was a noise Lukas had grown familiar with. It meant Arvis was going to kiss him. Sure enough, their lips collided in a slow, aching way a few times, before the man’s body weight leaned against him, and Lukas had one hand buried in Arvis’s now ruined braid and the other supporting his arm as their kisses deepened. There was always a slight thrill in this. Like taking on an unexpectedly difficult enemy on the battlefield. 

Arvis pulled back, licking his lips. “Sweet.” 

“Must have been the pastries.” Lukas joked, a little breathless as Arvis’s mouth trailed along the underside of his chin. 

“So, so sweet.” Arvis murmured. “I don’t care much for sweet things, but your mouth has a cloying taste I can’t get enough of…”

Lukas pulled the man’s head back up, deeping their kiss once more, relishing the small moan that came from the back of Arvis’s throat when he did. They continued like this for some time, until he felt Arvis’s hands trail down his sides, before slipping under his tunic, and the warm hands made contact with his bare flesh. 

“Arvis-” 

The man nipped his lip, and then... bit down, hard. Lukas felt disoriented. He had known that Arvis wanted him- they had both made that plain, but wanting him like this had still been a hazy unknown. Arvis’s hands ghosted along his ribs and his stomach, a sensation that made warning bells go off. Lukas pulled at Arvis’s hair, urgent enough not to be mistaken for passion, and Arvis stalled. His face was scrunched up, looking confused as Lukas felt. 

“I don’t want to do that.” 

The hands retreated, and Arvis sat up, giving Lukas space. Lukas brushed his fingers along his lip and felt the broken and slightly bloody skin. 

“I apologize.” Arvis did not look at Lukas as he said this. 

“I’m not comfortable having sex here.” Lukas decided to tack on the last word at the last minute. Maybe if it was somewhere else, if it was just the two of them behind closed doors. After the ringing stopped in his head, maybe he would feel different. 

“I got carried away. It was uncouth.”

“It’s fine.” Lukas answered, and wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve. The red stood out against the white, like a flame on scorched earth. 

“Lukas, may I…?”

Lukas allowed Arvis’s hands to cradle his face, assessing the damage. The contrast between moments was uncanny. Still, Lukas leaned into the touch. He was not afraid, only surprised, that was all.

(~)

A week later, his refined Slaying Lance arrived, and Lukas put in an order with a craftsman Eitri knew, known for working on more delicate pieces. 

He spent the night in Arvis’s room. 

(~)

One free day, Lukas found himself alone in the library once more. Arvis said he wanted to spend the day with Julia. He had decided to browse the novel section, picking up a few popular stories by Askran writers. They even had a few Emblian text, back when there was a peace agreement between the two kingdoms. He was curious to see how their stories differed, even if they were created in the same world. 

However, when Lukas went to his usual spot, he found that the table had not been cleared off. The librarian must have not made rounds in this section yet. Lukas set his chosen books aside, and looked at the covers of the books left out, seeing if any caught his fancy. 

One of them, a leatherbound codex with gold leaf text on the front that spelled The Final Holy War, caught his interest. Lukas sank into the nearby seat, and carefully opened pages, allowing it to fall naturally across the table, and began to read. 

A few pages in, he was already recognizing names. That should have been the sign to stop, to close the book and place it on the wrong shelf and never think about it again. That would have been the smart thing to do.

He continued to thumb through the pages. 

To resurrect the Dark God, the cult required the blood of Bishop Galle. However, because of regular hunts for anyone with ties to Loptyr, the last known descendant was a woman named Cigyun, who had lived in isolation in the forests of Verdane. Soon after escaping her captivity, Cigyun was wed to Lord Victor of Velthomer…

(~)

The room had grown dark. The sun had set mere minutes ago. Lukas had made it three quarters through before couldn’t anymore. His hands were balled into fists, as he tried with all of his might to clear his mind. Training would help, but Lukas knew that if he stood up, he would wretch.

Lukas felt sick. He had seen countless battles, he had fought corpses that had rose from the earth, but he could not remember ever having felt this ill. 

In the stray thoughts that he was trying to shove behind a door and never let out again, something sardonic slipped out:

Well, now you know that this love is both a tragedy and a farce. 

It took him some time to stand up from his chair, both hands gripping the edge for support. To be frank, that probably had to do with not having stood up all day. He took another minute to lift his head, and then walked of the library, making a direct course for his room. Lukas must have past some people on the way, but he couldn’t register their faces, so continued to make his stride. When he reached his quarters, the last person he wanted to see was there, waiting.  
“I didn’t see you at dinner.” Arvis said, his usually stoic face colored with concern. “I wondered where you were.”

Lukas’s smile was brittle, but he hoped the torchlight kept him in enough shadow that it wasn’t easy to discern. “Fell asleep in the library. I was more tired than I expected, so think I’ll turn in for the night.” 

“Wait.” Lukas to walk past him, but Arvis placed a warm hand on his shoulder. A touch that was meant to be comforting, but now made his stomach lurch. “There’s something I wish to talk to you about. Could we.. perhaps go to my room?”

Lukas’s grip on the doorknob tightened. “Is it so important that you can’t tell me here?” 

“Yes.” Arvis said firmly. “I don’t wish to be overheard. What I say is only meant for you.”

“...Very well.” 

The walk to the other side of the barracks was tense, and they kept a safe distance apart. No brushed hands or detours to the garden. For one moment, Lukas wondered if Arvis somehow knew what Lukas had learned, and that is why he was so quiet, but when he stole a sidelong glance, he saw that Arvis seemed lost to his own thoughts. When they reached the doorway, Arvis opened it for him, and Lukas stepped through, like countless times before at this point. Lukas kept his hands behind his back and kept standing as Arvis shut the door, and began to speak.

“I have spent time talking to Julia today. We discussed the future, about what happens with the war with Embla is said and done, and we all return to our original worlds.” He turned around to face Lukas straight on, and even in the dim light, the bright fire was still there, burning behind his eyes. Lukas wondered, again, just how many times those fires let loose, and allowed to consume whoever they wanted to watch burn. Suddenly, he did something unexpected. 

Arvis, the Emperor of Flame, the harbinger of the Bellhalla massacre, knelt at Lukas’s feet. 

“I… beg that you come with me, when that time comes.” 

Lukas felt the hands behind his back go slack. 

“You’re… you’re asking me to go to Jugdral.” 

“And be my right hand man.” Arvis replied. “My advisor, my confidant, my lover… be everything that you are to me here, and I will be to you. With you by my side, I know that Grannvale will have a bright future, and you will be showered in all the glories that you deserve.”

Lukas took a deep breath. In, and out. In, and out. Even he he had not known what he did, his answer would be the same.

“I can’t.” 

The fire in Arvis’s eyes flickered. “You… can’t? But, everything that you told me. About your home, your family-”

“Yes. I know.” Lukas interrupted. “If I could live the rest of my days, and never step into my family home, never see my brother again, I would be content. However,” he kneeled down, now at equal height with Arvis. “Even if the path that lead to me joining the Deliverance wasn’t the one I chose, I intend to see it through. I…I have people I care about there, people I wish to protect. I want to restore peace to Valentia, for them.” 

“Lukas,” Arvis grabbed his hand, holding it tight. “Please. Your talents will be squandered there. If you came to Jugdral then you will be a great man, not a footnote in a great man’s history.” 

“Did I ever say I desired to be a great man?” Lukas countered, his patience quickly wearing thin. He tried to break Arvis’s grasp. “And what did you talk about with your daughter? Having her blessing to bring your paramour to the family dinner table?” 

Arvis’s eyes came back roaring, an unquenchable passion that Lukas still felt drawn to. “I love you!” 

“You have a wife, Arvis!” He had to do this, he must. He could not allow himself to be among the kindle that would set Arvis ablaze with a sword through his gut. 

“She’ll… she’ll understand.” Arvis had begun bargaining. “Deirdre… Deirdre is kind. If we both tell her that-”

“Is this before or after you burned her previous husband alive in front of her?”  
The shouting match died. Arvis’s grip slacked, and Lukas let his hand drop. They both continued to kneel, staring at the other. 

“...How is what I did any more reprehensible than that stunt you played on the battlements of Zofia castle?” 

Lukas chose his next words carefully. “We had no choice. If the Deliverance were to survive I had to threaten the Rigelian hostages-”

“And I had to do the same,” Arvis replied, looking straight at him. “We both committed heinous acts for the greater good. If… if I hadn’t done what I did, then everything would have been for naught. I had no other way to change the system.” 

Perhaps at another time, he would have believed that. “...Azelle.”

“...What?”

“Your brother.” Lukas said flatly. “The brother that you raised, Arvis. You never spoke his name to me. Not once. Can you tell me why?”

“Who told you.” 

“...Today, I came across a book that told me all about the heinous acts you had to commit.” Lukas took Arvis’s hands, and pulled them from off their feet. Arvis did not pull away, but he looked confused, almost distraught. “What do you know of your son? Not Saias, your other son. Julia has a twin.”

Arvis’s eyes squeezed shut, and he clutched his head. It was like that day on the battlefield, only much, much worse. When his eyes finally opened, he looked, for the first time since Lukas had known him, lost. 

“Julius… how?” He voice was soft, quiet. 

Lukas could not bring himself to say it outloud. Arvis knew enough about the complexities of holy blood to come to the conclusion himself. “That’s why I can’t come with you, Arvis. If I did, who’s to know I won’t play an unwitting part in your destruction?” 

Arvis leaned against the bedpost for support. “After everything I have done, I’m… merely a puppet.”  
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Lukas took a deep breath. At the beginning of their argument, Lukas thought there was only one way to go, but now, perhaps there was another. “...You could come back with me to Valentia.” 

But Arvis shook his head. “I can’t just abandon my family to that, Lukas. I can’t do that to Julia, to Deirdre-”

“-Even knowing who Deirdre is?”

“I can’t.” 

Lukas sighed, and sat down on the bed. So, they were back where they started. Neither willing to give in to the other. 

“I suppose you find me revolting.” Arvis replied, giving a humorless laugh.

“No. I find it… sad.” Lukas replied. “I suppose I’m sad for you.”

“That’s even worse.”

“It’s not pity, Arvis.” 

Arvis said nothing to this objection, merely sat down beside Lukas, his hand falling in between them. After some hesitation, Lukas covered his palm over them.

“Did you mean it, when you said you loved me?” 

Arvis’s head was bowed, but he turned his hand up to hold Lukas’s own. “I did.” 

Lukas exhaled, trying his best now to grab onto that one bit of happiness. “Then, I suppose I love you as well.”

Arvis turned his head at the confession, then chuckled. “But it doesn’t change a single damn thing.”

“No.” Lukas’s grip tightened, and the both of them remained that way for some time. 

(~)

Eventually, like all wars do, the Askr-Embla conflict came to a close. 

When Arvis was to return to his own time, Lukas handed him a gift. It was a thin circlet, with limited ornamentation, but it was made of precious metal, with small engravings of protection along the sides. 

“As thanks for the lance.” Lukas said, and Arvis, despite the crowd of other heroes and war criminals watching them, placed it on his head, and stroked his hand against Lukas’s cheek, as if he was also something precious. 

Then, bathed in the blue light of the summoning circle, Arvis disappeared.

(~) 

Three years into King Alm and Queen Celica’s reign of the One Kingdom of Valentia, Lukas asked for some time off. He bid farewell to his friends, taking only the essentials: a light pack, his lance, and some letters of good faith from the King and Queen, before boarding a ship in old Zofia harbor bound for Archanea. He did not know where he would go from there. Beyond straying across a map or old scroll, Lukas knew it was quite possibly a futile quest he was setting off on. However, if Jugdral’s histories passed into myth, they had to have come from somewhere. 

So, after taking one last look at his country, Lukas looked ahead, pondering if Velthomer was still as Arvis had described it to him, back in the gardens of another world, in another time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for sticking around and reading this. I'm sorry it didn't have the happy ending perhaps some were hoping for, but I still hope you enjoyed. If you want to talk more about this or my other fanfic projects, please message me on tumblr (my blog name is the same as my Ao3(! Again, special thanks to valmey-me for roping me into this pairing and for the beautiful art.


	3. Extras

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Valmey-me made some more INCREDIBLE art for this series, and I was inspired to make a drabble based off of the first one (someone teach me how to inbed links please):  
> 1\. https://valmey-me.tumblr.com/post/170986408299/a-forged-lance-an-old-tome-and-a-golden-circlet  
> 2\. https://valmey-me.tumblr.com/post/171362438534/bad-end-good-end-true-end

The Askr exhibit had recently opened, and Lukas decided to take advantage of his Friend of the Museum pass and have a look. He was grateful that it allowed him to skip the long line, since there was a maximum amount of visitors allowed at a time. He went in with his ticket, and was given one hour to browse to his heart’s content. 

What first drew his attention was the variety of the weapons. In most of the other historical sections, there were similarities of some sort that could be found that connected the other- the Archanean Regalia being among his favorites- but, here, it was almost as if the casings were thrown together by chance. He took a look through his booklet, and found that any artifacts uncovered in the same area were placed together, in order to maintain authenticity. Of what, Lukas was not sure. 

Soon enough, his eyes were drawn to one of the more sparse glass cases. It portrayed a similar “clash” of intent: a lance, set beside an elaborately bound spell book, and a fine gold circlet placed on top of it. It did not make sense for these things to be together, but something about it filled Lukas with a cloying feeling of… sadness? 

His sight of the case, however, was disrupted by a hand, its long fingers brushing along the case. Lukas turned to his side and saw that the hand belonged a man roughly his age, with hair as vibrant as the small precious red stones set within the circlet. 

“…I don’t believe we’re allowed to touch the glass.” 

The man’s shoulders started at Lukas’s words, and snatched his hand away. “Apologies, I tend to know better than that.” 

Lukas put on his usual “safe and reassuring” smile. “I’m not a curator here, so no need to worry. In fact, I confess that I was… similarly enamored.”

The man’s frown quirked into something like a smile, something like a smirk. It was hard to tell. “My name’s Arvis. May I have yours?”

“Lukas," Lukas liked the way his name sounded in this man's voice. Like something important. "A pleasure, Arvis.” 

Arvis extended his hand, and Lukas shook it. Despite the chilly day outside, the hand was warm. 

“Do you come to this museum often?” Arvis asked.

“More than I care to admit.” Lukas joked. “I… enjoy spending time here, thinking about the stories of so long ago. Of how those people lived.” 

“I… recently moved here. Thought I would take a look,” Arvis replied, and something in the man’s eyes made Lukas’s heart stutter in it's always regular beat. “I’m glad I did.” 

“…Would you care to take a look at the cafe?” Lukas suggested, even though he had a good forty minutes left in the exhibit, he could always come back. This man, however, may not. “It is not terribly expensive, and the menu is good.”

Arvis nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Lead the way.”

**Author's Note:**

> Blame (and please go look at) valmey-me's art on Tumblr for this beautiful pairing. Also as seen, this is not the end of what I have planned for these two. That would be too easy. 
> 
> EDIT: VALMEY MADE AWESOME ART FOR THIS CHECK IT OUT!!: https://valmey-me.tumblr.com/post/168817253814/are-you-planning-on-standing-there-all-day-a


End file.
